The Meaning of Purity: The Power of a Miko
by PrincessMelissa83
Summary: Summary: After having purified the Shikon no Tama, Inuyasha and Kagome take their relationship to the next step. However, things don’t go exactly the way they thought they would. Postmating oneshot.


_**The Meaning of Purity  
**__**The Power of a Miko  
**_PrincessMelissa83

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At eighteen, Higarashi Kagome had tripled the original strength of her miko powers through practice, training and necessity. Her shot with the bow had greatly improved also meaning that by the time the shards of the Shikon no Tama had been collected and Naraku unearthed, she had not been as useless in battle as the others had imagined she would be. In fact, she had surprised them all when it was her arrow, in combination with Inuyasha's Backlash Wave, that had been the undoing of the quasi hanyou.

Of course, she hadn't really needed Inuyasha's help. The arrow alone would have sufficed. Unless you were talking to Inuyasha and then the truth of the matter would be that they hadn't needed Kagome's arrow to destroy the shape changer - his Backlash Wave was good enough.

Anyone with a preexisting relationship with the two would know that this was common argumentative ground and, while neither would have admitted it, they knew that one without the other would have never received the same results. Not that such knowledge had kept them from arguing any less, of course.

But that had been four months ago and two months ago they had moved on to more recent topics to argue over, such as the marriage or promising ritual that was about to take place. Their current subjects included topics such as where it should be held, when they should go through with it, during which era, should they have two ceremonies, would the youkai ritual be enough since she was a human and he was half human and how she wanted a real wedding while Inuyasha wanted as little attention drawn to him and as few complications as possible.

To those around them, it seemed as if they would never reach a middle ground. Silent treatment went on for days at a time and with her frustration growing, the sheer force behind the 'osuwari' that had become quite common place also grew until the ground surrounding Kaede's hut was littered with Inuyasha shaped craters. It had even gotten to the point that Sango feared they would simply call the entire thing off and Kagome would retreat to her era for good as she often threatened to do.

That had been when Kaede had finally seen the need to intervene. After a long chat and several 'osuwaris' to make Inuyasha stay put for Kaede's advise, they had come to an agreement. They would perform a real wedding in Kagome's time at her family's shrine wherein Kagome's school friends and family could attend. Once that was complete, they would return to the Sengoku Jidai and Myouga would perform the youkai rites of 'matrimony' with Sango, Kaede, Shippou and Miroku bearing witness.

And that was how it happened a month and a half after the arguments had started.

They had been mated a day when a youkai attacked the village. Though they had purified and destroyed the Shikon no Tama, the rumors of its disappearance had yet to spread completely through the countryside and various youkai who had not gathered such knowledge had come in pursuit of the jewel. They had had no problems disposing of those youkai without any harm coming to the people of the village. But this youkai chose to attack the day after Kagome and Inuyasha's first night together and the common knowledge that was shared regarding a miko and her power was that her power was linked directly to her virginity. As that no longer existed for Kagome, she should have been no different than any other mortal. That was why Inuyasha had been so adamant that she stay inside the hut with Kaede while he, Sango and Miroku took care of the trespasser.

Kagome, however, had never been one to listen to instruction…especially when Inuyasha was the one doing the instructing. Once he had disappeared out of the door, she had grabbed her bow and arrows and followed in a full run. While her mate yelled at her for how stupid she was to come out in the middle of danger with no way to protect herself besides some ordinary arrows, Kagome had only raised her bow and fired directly at the youkai's heart, confident with the fact that despite the loss of her miko powers her arrow would hit its mark and she could still help her friends fight and keep her husband safe.

It had shocked everyone when the arrow had taken on a purplish hue as soon as it left the string and had only grown stronger in aura as it flew through the arrow, landing directly on target with a dull thud. A swipe of the Tetsuseiga had the thing completely disposed of.

"What the hell?" Inuyasha exclaimed. "Are you crazy, you idiot! You could have gotten yourself killed!" He stormed toward Kagome, golden eyes blazing and she meekly lowered the bow, looking at the ground with a crimson blush painting her cheeks.

Miroku stared. "Didn't you two…you know…last night?" He asked shifting slightly nervously. While he had no problem asking women to bear his children, the words that it took to describe the process always seemed to stick in his throat.

"Miroku!" Sango swung and brought her Hiraikotsu down, lightly as usual though she still managed to make a nice lump, on the crown of his head.

"That's really non of your business, monk." Inuyasha had turned a furious glare at Miroku while Kagome felt like melting into the ground. The crimson on her cheeks only brightened several shades at the monk's mention of their activities the night before.

Having managed to recover from the knock on the noggin, the houshi sighed. "That is not what I meant. I simply asked because, in case you failed to notice, Kagome-sama's arrows were as potent as ever. However, if the two of you were to…ahem…make your marriage official…she should have lost her miko abilities and her arrows would have been no more powerful than any other person's arrow." His eyes lit up with a mischief as a grin spread across his face. "Of course, a simpler explanation would be that one of the two of you were too nervous and unable to consummate your vows."

"Why I ought to -" Inuyasha flexed his claws threatening the monk but he had already closed his eyes bracing himself for what he knew was coming just as Hiraikotsu was brought down on his head once more.

Kagome was half hidden behind Inuyasha, her face bright red by now, but just as angry as she was embarrassed. "I really don't feel like discussing what happened between me and Inuyasha with you, Miroku-sama," she snapped, "but you're right. After last night I shouldn't be able to mix my miko power with the arrows anymore because I shouldn't have any miko powers."

There was a laugh from behind them as Kaede came up. She had caught the tail end of their discussion and found it quite amusing. "It seems what you all believed to be true is the common misconception regarding a miko and her power. The idea that a miko's ability is linked directly with her virginity is nonsense," she told them as they all turned to gape at her. "I suppose it stems from the fact that many mikos live their lives as I have, unmarried and without men and, therefore, are virgins for their entire lives. But the simple fact of the matter is that miko's powers come directly from the purity of their heart and soul, not from the body."

"Then even though Kagome and Inuyasha…Kagome can still use her purification arrows and barriers and other things?" Sango questioned.

"Aye, that is just the case. Kagome's heart and soul are pure because her love for Inuyasha is pure. She has not allowed the things that she has seen to taint her spirit." She turned to Kagome and smiled brightly. "So long as you continue to do that which you see as good and right, you will remain a miko."

Kagome grinned and poked Inuyasha in the side. "See there? I think you aught to apologize to me."

"What? Why?" He asked frowning.

She punched his arm, frowning herself. Had he forgotten his overreaction already? "For yelling at me and calling me stupid!"

"Well you were!"

"I was not! I was perfectly capable of taking care of myself. Kaede-sama just said so!"

"You didn't know that when you came barging out here!"

They were practically nose to nose in a yelling match. Both had their fists clenched at their sides. He had leaned down towards her to get in her face and she had stood on her tip toes to get in his. "How do you know?" She asked, leaning back toss her hair over her shoulder.

"Did you?"

"No."

"See there! You ran out here like an idiot and could've gotten yourself killed!"

"Inuyasha! Osuwari!"

Nothing happened. He still stood on two feet and he was suddenly laughing at her. She had forgotten that she had taken his rosary off the night before and so she could no longer lord that word over him. It had been her wedding gift to him. "Ugh!" She childishly stomped her foot and glanced at her friends who were watching their argument with amused faces.

Sango caught her eye and, while Inuyasha was preoccupied with his sudden burst of laughter, brought Hiraikotsu up and knocked him on the head with it which Kagome followed with a muttered, "jerk" and turned to walk back down the hill towards the village.

Inuyasha groaned and rubbed his head, glaring at the taijiya over his shoulder as he followed Kagome, quickly catching up with her.

"Baka," he returned under his breath.

"Meanie."

They were still within sight of the group who was following at a slower pace.

"Wench." He walked with his hands at his side instead of tucked into the sleeves of his haori as he usually did.

"Puppy." She took advantage of it and grabbed his hand, lacing her fingers through his while his fingers tightened around her hand.

"Feh."

The others grinned at each other. Kagome and Inuyasha were definitely a strange couple. Best friends? Yes. Married? Yes. In love? Yes. But he was still Inuyasha and she was still Kagome and _that_ was never going to change.

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A/N: It's kinda old. Been sitting in my documents for quite some time. It was just one of those little senarios that popped into my head and had to come out. Now that I'm cleaning out my computer, I figured I'd might as well post it.


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